The Quest For Freedom
by Aleko97
Summary: Join Kanzu D Ryuu and his crew on their journey across the One Piece World, as they battle powerful enemies and visit a whole range of weird and wonderful places. However this isn't the One Piece World as you know it. Imagine it as a parallel world with completely different characters and a completely different history. I do not own One Piece or anything from the One Piece world.


**_Chapter One – Enter Kanzu D Ryuu_**

Several hundred years before our story begins, war and famine ravished many nations all across North Blue. These wars took the lives of hundreds of thousands of innocents, and caused many more thousands to flee their homes. During this time a certain powerful, greatly respected clan led a group of over one thousand refugees from their respected islands in order to find a new home, far away from the horrors of the war. It was the leader of this family who gave the island of 'New Beginnings' its name and it is on this island that our story begins.

Two hundred years after the North Blue wars ended, a decedent of that once powerful clan sat at the island's most popular look-out point. Kanzu peak it was called, and the reason this point was so popular was not just for the astonishing view. The legends claimed that it was at this very point that the legendary leader of the Kanzu clan used his almighty strength to defeat an invading armada with just one swing of his sword.

The reason I call them a 'once powerful clan' is that very few members of the Kanzu clan actually remain. Over the years the clan mysteriously began to grow smaller and smaller. To his knowledge, Ryuu was the last of a handful. He stood where his ancestor was once said to have stood and looked out over the open ocean. He was seventeen years old, was just short of six feet tall, slim but muscular and had long black hair which was tied back in an intricate plat. He was horribly scarred, by what appeared to be from a serious burn, which covered the top left hand side of his torso and most of his left arm. However this wasn't the most noticeable part of his appearance. His eyes, like most other members of his clan were a crimson red.

"I thought I'd find you here Ryuu" said a voice from behind him.

Ryuu casually turned his head to see who had addressed him. "Oh, it's just you chief".

"So…" the chief began. He was an incredibly short man. No more than five feet tall. He was bald, and had a grey beard which came down to his knees. In both hands he held a walking stick, which appeared to be the only thing that kept him from toppling over. "… Have you made your decision?" he asked.

"I have." Ryuu replied.

"And?"

"You know chief; you didn't have to walk all the way up here in order for us to have this conversation. You could have just waited for me to return to the village. You're an old man now, you should take it easy. You might die if you strain yourself too much" Ryuu laughed.

"Watch your tongue boy" The chief retorted. "In my prime I could best even your father in a fair fight. You should show me more respect."

With that, Ryuu stopped laughing and turned back to face the ocean. The sun was beginning to set in the distance, and he had to put his hand up to his face to stop himself being blinded. "I've decided to become a pirate."

"I see…" came the voice from behind him.

"You don't approve?"

"I have nothing to comment on the matter." The chief replied. "Admittedly it's not the life I wanted for you. However, if freedom is what you seek, then a life as a pirate may well be as close as you're going to get."

The two of them were silent for a while; both were lost in their own thoughts as they looked out over the cliff at the rest of the world. It was Ryuu who broke the silence. "It's getting late. Shall we head home chief?"

"Not a bad idea son" the chief replied warmly."

"Let me give you a hand. Your hip will give way if I let you walk back to your house without support." Ryuu teased.

With that the chief's warm tone disappeared and once again he began to shout! "I don't need your help brat! Are you making fun of me? I hope you drown when you go out to sea!"

"Aww, come on chief that's harsh!" Ryuu exclaimed while putting on an obviously fake pained expression.

"I'll show you harsh!" The chief bellowed swinging his walking stick at Ryuu, and with that he began to chase him down the hill and back towards the village.

* * *

A week or so had passed since his conversation with the village chief at Kanzu point, and Ryuu had spent that time preparing everything he needed in order to leave the island. He had gathered food and water supplies, clothing, a few books, maps of the local islands, and whatever money he could find. Then once he was prepared he began the long walk down to the village docks. He walked through the centre, past the water fountain, past the butchers, the florist, the local tavern. This may well be the last time he saw them, he thought to himself. After about thirty minutes of walking he finally arrived at the docks. To his surprise there seemed to be a small crowd gathered by where his boat was. It wasn't anything worth looking at. It was just a basic fishing boat that had belonged to his father.

"There he is" he heard someone shout. This was when the entire crowd turned to face him. He recognised almost all of them. The crowd began to part and the village chief stepped forward, his usual walking stick in one hand, and in the other was something long rapped in a cloth.

"You didn't think we'd let you go without saying goodbye did you son?" the chief asked. A warm smile spread on his face.

Ryuu didn't respond. He remained where he was stood, staring at the group who had come to see him off. The same people who had helped raise him after his father died. He felt a mixture of feelings surge up from inside him. He felt a tear brewing in his eye and quickly wiped it away before anyone noticed him.

"We have something for you" The chief said with a smile. With that, he and the rest of the group stepped to one side and revealed a small ship. No more than seven meters long and just under half the amount across at its widest. It had a small cabin at back end of the deck, in the middle of the deck stood the mast, with the sails rolled up to the top and on top of it a small crows nest, and at the front stood the ships steering wheel.

"Bloody hell!" Ryuu exclaimed as his jaw hit the flaw.

"It'll be difficult, but this old girl is small enough to sail on your own." The chief continued. "Obviously it'll be easier when you find more crew members. However, as she is small you'll only be able to sail with another three people, maybe four, but it'll be a tight squeeze. The sleeping quarters and the storage rooms are below deck. There is a ladder in the cabin which will lead down there. Inside the cabin there are some very basic cooking appliances set up for you."

"Chief, I don't know what to say?" Ryuu said, barely getting the words out.

"Oh don't worry. There is more to come." The chief said smiling as he walked towards Ryuu. Once he was in front of him he held out the long item rapped in cloth. Ryuu took it and unfolded the fabric. What he saw almost made him burst into tears there and then. It was a fearsome sight while at the same time it was incredibly beautiful. It was a katana. Both the handle and the blade itself were jet black, but the guard was the crimson red of the Kanzu's clan's eyes.

"Your father told me to give it to you at the time that you were ready to wield it. I think now is that time."

Ryuu couldn't hold back the tears anymore. "My father's katana" he sobbed. "I thought it was lost. I thought…"

"He gave it to me before he died" The chief interrupted. "That sword has been passed down the generations of the Kanzu for hundreds of years. It is only right that you should be the next to wield it. You are named after that Kanzu Ryuu after all." The chief looked down at the boy he'd watched grow from the day he was born into the young man he was now, clutching the last piece of his father. "He'd be so proud of you Ryuu." The chief said, forcing back tears of his own.

After he'd regained control of his emotions, Ryuu got up and said goodbye to the rest of the villagers who'd come to see him off. They hugged and kissed and when all was said and done, Ryuu climbed onto his new ship.

"What's her name?" He called down to the village chief.

"Alice."

"What?

"Alice."

"That's a bit of a crap name isn't it?"

"How dare you! " The chief shouted up at him. "I gift you with the ship I made with my bare hands and sailed all over North Blue with and you dare criticise her! Maybe I'll just take her back and…"

"Did I say crap?" Ryuu interrupted. "I meant beautiful. What a beautiful name."

"Your damn right it is!" The chief grumbled.

After a few more words were exchanged between the two of them Ryuu pulled up the anchor, released the sails and began to sail away. He left the wheel unattended for a moment and ran to the back of the ship to wave goodbye to the villagers.

"Goodbye everyone! Thank you for everything" he shouted.

"Look after yourself Ryuu!" One of them shouted.

"Don't cause too much trouble" shouted another.

"Ryuu!" Shouted the chief, tears were streaming from his eyes as he waved his walking stick around wildly in the air. "If you see Erika, say hello to her for me. Don't die now you hear! Look after yourself son!"

Ryuu smiled, he was done crying now. He knew he'd miss them all, but he was a pirate now, and pirates were brave and strong. They didn't shed tears. Despite these thoughts his vision became a little blurry. He quickly wiped his eyes. "Just the wind" he said to himself. He looked to his right and saw Kanzu peak. It looked much higher up from below than it did from above. He took his new katana from his belt and raised it high above his head in the direction if the peak.

"Watch me" he said determinedly. "I will make the Kanzu name great again. That is a promise!"

For a second he thought he saw a figure standing at the peak, mirroring his pose. But after quickly rubbing his eyes he looked again, but nobody was there. "Just my imagination" Ryuu said to himself, while once again returning his concentration to steering.

* * *

Hello everyone! I began writing this fan fiction a while ago and published a few chapters, but I wasn't at all satisfied with what I'd written. So what you see here is my second attempt. I haven't worked out a schedule as of yet for publishing new chapters so please bare with me if it takes a while for me to start publishing regularly.

I hope you like my first chapter. I am very much looking forward to the journey ahead. I promise to read all reviews and think carefully about any constructive criticism you give me. A positive comment or two is always nice to read though:)))


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